Park Service director blames threat of terrorism for closing Mall during shutdown

“Even though the U.S. Park Police commissioned officers have been exempted from the furlough, given the limited staff resources during the shutdown, prudent and practical steps were taken to secure life and property at these national icons where security has become increasingly complex in a post-9/11 world,” he says in his prepared testimony.

He later told Mr. Issa that the service’s “intelligence indicates that there has been an uptick in activity — interest during the shutdown in potential threats.”

Mr. Jarvis acknowledged he ran his closure plans by the White House, though he couldn’t remember who he spoke with. He said the decisions were his, not the White House’s.